Railway switch and signal mechanism.



PATEN EiiP EBQH, 1908.

J. s. PAYNE. RAILWAY SWITCH ANDS-IGNAL MECHANISM.

PPLIO TIONI' L 1 .190 A A I, m 21 7 a sgnmrs-snnnr 1.

: I j I Joan- 5? Fay/as NA 878,666. A A PATENTED FEB. 11, 19084 A s. PAYNE. A y I RAILWAY SWITOH'AND SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT,21.1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T 'PATEN. DEER-11,1908 J.S.PAYNB.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1907.

SSHEETSe-SHEBT 3.

Ala/216 6i 9 Ko'.}s78,656 RAILWAYSWITCH AND SIGNAL MECHANISM.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN, s. PAYNE, or MULVANE, KANSAS,-ASSIGNOR or ONE-EIGHTH To nor 0. oons AND ONE-EIGHTH TO OTIS L. MOORE, OF MULVANE, KANSASQ RAILwAY swrron Am: SIGNAL mmcnrmrsrr.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known thatLJoHN S. PAYNE, citizen of the United States, residing at Mulvane, in the county of Sumnerand State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Im- I rovements in Railway Switches and Signal Flechanisms, of which the following is a speci .ficatiom. l l This invention contemplates .eertain new and useful im rovements in railway switch and signal mec anism and relates particularly to pneumatic actuating means for the switch or signal, embodying a pump and improved connection between sai pump, the suppl tank, the controlling VSLlVGSyBJIld the switc ump being arranged to be actuated by t e passage of a:

or signal mechanism, the

'train over that portion of thetrack where the pumping mechanism is located. 2 T e invention consists in certain constructioris, arrangements and combinations of the parts thatl shall hereinafter fully'describe. and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

or a full understanding oftthe invention,

reference is to be had to the following descri tion and :accom an drawin s in which: I t

Figure 1 is asectional side elevation illus- 80 trating, my improvements in switch and signal mechanism Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation artly in section of the signal apparatus 1 ig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the ap aratus arranged to operate the i switch; Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View of the switch mechanism; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of a switch locking bar employed; Fig. dis a detail view of a clam de signed to secure the said locking bar in ace;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the said camp;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the governing valve; Fig. 9 is a side elevation, partly in section of a modified arrangement of signal mechanism; and, Fig. 10 is, a detail transverse section taken through the rail at the point of connection of the pump actuating ar thereof. j

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

My invention comprises an air pump 1 m Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed aeptember 21'. 1901. see-111a. 303.026.

. ties as shown, the

' which the follower head. or piston 2 is mounted, the stem or plunger rod 3 of said piston being designed to pass upwardly from the ump', -as 0 early illustrated in the drawings. he pump 1 may be secured to any .two ad- -j'acent cross ties 4 by means of the lower or upper plates 5 and 6 that are bolted to the plunger rod-3 extending upwardly through t e p ates and the uppermost plate 6 being formed with a collar 7 to guide the said rod. At its upper end, the rod 3 has a jointed connection with the ad- .j acent ends of the pumpactuating bars 8 and 9 which extend in opposite directions alongside of the rail, and said bars are slotted'at their outer ends as indicated at 10.

Pins or bolts 11 are accommodated in the v slots 10 and secure the outer ends of the bars for a sliding and pivotal movement in the U- shaped brackets 12 secured to the rails 13. It is desi ned that the car wheels of a train passing a ong the track shall ride over. the

are 8 and 9 and depress the same so as to impart a downward stroke to the um ton, andpreferably the pump is placed at a switch on a side track that is most in use, and ifpossible, on the outside of the curve, so

' thatthe wheels will run on the bars 8 and 9 and force them downwardly, and so that as soon'as one wheel is ofi the bars, the latter will rise and be again depressed by the succeeding wheel,soas to the pump piston. l4 deslgn'ates the air inlet pipe of the pum properly reciprocate 1 which is preferably provided at its inlet en with a screen 15 to prevent foreign substances maimed Feb. 11, 1908. l

frombeing drawn into the pipe, and i6 idesig nates the inlet check valve of the pump; The .outlet pipe17 leading from the pump 1 is provided with an outwardly o enin check valve 18 andis connected at its ar en to the air supply tank 19 which may: be

located at any desired point and in proximity'to the pump. g

The air supply tank 19 may be provided with the usual pressure gage 20. Said tank is also provided with a standard 21 projecting upwardly from its top, and a link 22 is connected at one end to said standardand is connected at its opposite end to a lever 23.,

from which the piston rod 24= depends. This piston rod carries a piston25 atits'lower. end

inc

that is mounted to reciprocate in thecylinder 26, which, at its lower end issin open com- I munication-with the interiorof the tank. A wei ht 27 is carriedin an adjustable manner on t e outer end of the lever 23. A rod 28 is secured at one end to the weighted lever 23 and is pivotally connected at its opposite end to the handle 29 on the plug valve 30'. I This valve is mounted in and controls the passage through a pipe 31 which communicates at oneend with the interior'of the tank 19 and "understood that a train which extends to and has its other end in. I communication with one end of a cylinder 32 that is preferably supported on the lower plate 5. A piston 33 1s mounted to reciprocate in the cy 'nder 32 and; the rod or stem 34 of said piston progectsflupwardly' and is connected to one o the pump actuating bars 8 and 9. i

In the practical operation of the parts of the mechanismabove described,'it will be passin alon the track where the mechanism is ocate Will depress the bars 8 and 9 to cause a down- 'ward traverse "of the pump piston so as to force airinto the suply tank 19. So long as raise the piston 25,- the weightof the lever 23'.

will cause the plug 30 to turn to then enposition, whereupon the'air pressure wit in the tank will move the piston 33 u wardly and through the instrumentality of t e stem 34 carry'the bars 8 and 9 upwardly.

It is obvious that the-motion of the pump piston may be increased, if found deslrable .or necessary, by positioning a walking beam or lever between the pump rod and the pump actuating bars, so as to increase the stroke'of the pump to the'desired extent;

From the airl supply tank 19 an air sup ly pipe 35 leads to a contr'olling valve-37 that is preferably located at theswitch, or at the switch. and signal '0' crating station. This valve may, if desire be boxed "as indicated at 38 and secured to the underside of the 40 is mounted:

switchhea'd 39 upon" which the switch stand 41 designatesa switch lever or actuatin rod which is mounted in the stand 40' and which is provided at-its lower end with a crank 42. The switch bar 43 is connected to the said crank preferably by the wrist pin 44 of the latter. 1 Andther crank 45 is secured to, said wrist pi. referably by a screw and two, socketed stud 46, as shown, and said crank45 is carried on the u per end of the valve actuatin shaft 47. Thls shaft 47 extends downwardly into the box 38 and is preferably provided at its lower end with a so as to rock polygonal head oftheplug 48 formin part of the valve 37 and mounted within the body vthereof, as shown, to turn about a vertical axis. The body of the valve 37 is proyided with two referably straightway passages 49 and 50 t at are designed to be control ed by the respective ports 51 and 52 formed in the plug 48. These ports are so arranged thatwhen thepassage 49 is open, the assage '50will be closed and vice versa.- he air supply pipe 35 is secured at one end Vllihr'f,

in' one end of other end of this passage a pi e,53-lead s,'to thesignal mechanism.. A re section of hose or rubber tubing is connected, as by the T-coupling 55 to the also connected to the body of t e valve37 at theassalge 50 thereof, the said passage be;

mg t e re ease passage of the valve and being designed'topermit the release of the cornpressed air after the sup ly has been shut ofi, and it is desired that t e signal return to what mightbe called its normal position.

The signals may be located at any desired distance on'either side of the switch, .as they are actuated by'air pressure, and as an example of one former embodiment of signal mechanism that may be employed with the train actuated lpump andausupply mechanism, I have '1 ease pipe 54,; which may be formed of a suitably strong the passage 49, and to the y ipe 53. and is ustrated the post 55 which, .i

supports a box or casing 57 provided with a i bottom opening, as shown, and 'forminga housing for the signal proper so as to protect it from the elements and so as its allow it to move into a concealed osition. A cylinder.

e bottom ofthe box 58 is supportedwithin t 57' and a piston-59 is mounted in said cylinder, the stem 60' of said piston passing upwardly through the top being-connected to one arm of the signal supportingxlever 61 that is fulcriimed intermediate of its ends on the .upperfen'd of.

the post-56 to swing about a horrzont'al'axis.

The rear arm of the lever 61 carries an'adju'stable weight, asshown, and the other arm of the cylinder and of the lever is preferably formed with a hook I I 62 over which the bail of the signal lantern '63 may be caught so as to removably support the lantern on the lever.

From the foregoing, it understood that when the switch is thrown in'onefdirection, theplug 48 will be-so turned as to admit 'air from the supply pipe 35 through the' passage 49 in the b 130 ody of the valve37 and thence through theplipe 53 to'the lower end of the cylinder 58. I ing the upward movement of the piston 59 the lever 61 in,a direction to is will result in eflectcarry the signal lantern 63 from its concealed 1 position within the casing 57 to an exposed position-below the bottom of the casing as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. At such positionof the plug 48, that is, when it' 47 and at once open-'--tl1e pa'ssage; D".whereanisn n reference is to be hadto Fig: 9,

, post, 57% the-casing, and 58 a c0 i the signal supporting lever6 1. Theopera- 1 switch bar 69'is connected to the guard-rails '67 which'are in turn so connected to the switch locking rod'74 is provided with an it is ,evident that the passage 50 is c -middle of the switch locking bar 74. This stationary rail hcci rding as the switch. is

admits air from the pipe 35 toftheipipe 53,

. w! by saich plug. When theswitch to the op osite positionythe plug 48-isso turned: as to c ose thepass age '49 through; the valve upon the air pressure fromthe pipe" 53 be permitted to vent itself 'through the re lease branch 54 and assage 50 of thefvalve;

As anotherrembo iment of signal m sh-f,

or'ting apsible' cylinder of leather or other material suitable which56 designates the signal sup for the purpose, the air supply pi e 53 open:

ing into the lower end' of said cy index". 59' designates the-piston of said cylinder which in this form, of the invention, constitutes the upper head thereof and-from which the piss ton rod 60" extends upwardly as shown and is guided in the sleeve 64. projecting u 7 wardly from the roof ofth'e casing 57 f. rod 60 has a pin and slot connection with tion of this form of slgnal mechanism is simi-" lar to that just above described and is be lieved to be obvious.

It is to be understood that the train actu-v ating air .umping and sup lying mechanism is applica 'le to switch wor as well as to the actuation ofsignals, and I shall now describe its relation to switch mechanism.

Fig. 3 illustrates a switch inwhich 55 are the stationaryrails, 66 the switch points, 67 the guard rails and 68 the switch head. The

switch points 66 as to move therewith and illustrated in detail in Fig. 6 is secured to the switch bar 69 intermediate of the ends of the latter and said clamp carries a forked bracket 72 which is "mounted to turn thereon as shown, and which carries a pin 73 designed to pass through a transverse opening at the bar is provided at each end with a shoulder 75 designed to engage the outer side of the thrown to one position or the other. The

apertured car 76 to which the pneumatically actuated switeh'bar 77 is connected at one end as shown. is pivotally connected to the piston rod 78 guided by the casting 79 secured to a side of the switch head-6S andcarrying at its outer end'a piston 80 movablcwithin the cylinder 81. This cylinder is connected at opposite ends to the pipes 82 and 83, respectively,

The other end of this bar 77 said pipes being provided with the controlling valves 8* and 85j-constructed similarto the controlling-valve; 37" and recei their supply, of compressed'fair' from the pipes 86, connected'toa common tank (not shown), g g

87 designates the actuatin handles'ior the of these valves 84 an "85', said: valves 1 will or independent air" air actuated handles being located at an desiredpoinflas, for instance, an oper-' atmg tower, so that a singlcjoperator may control" and o erate a number of switches, there y makin "the: device when "arra ed' as above descri ed useful particularly in yards and other places where considerable shifting is constantly going on.

From the foregoing description inlconnection' with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen'that '1' have provided a very ef'ficient and durableconstruction and arrangement of parts of railway switch and signal mechanism in which the pump for su pl ingatank with compressed air may e e ectlvely operated by t over any predetermined portion of a track andin which the pumping mechanism is controlled automatically by the pressure, of air within the supply tank Without-the necessity of springs or. similar contrivances 'to move the pump aetuatin bars to. the upper position, and in-lwhich t e signal or switch mechanism may be positively controlled by pneumatic pressurewhich provides that the mechanism may be easily installed and cheaply maintained, and which is'not liable to get out of order, there being no bell cranks or any s stem of wires or rods necessary, and it t ereby being possible to locate the signal mechanism or the switch throwing mechanism at a considerable distance from the oper-' ator'. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with pneumatic switch or signalactua ting mechanism, and a supply tank therefor,;of an air pumpopera- .tively connected with the tank and arranged to feed air therein, pump actuating bars operatively connected to the plunger of said pump, and arranged to be moved downwardly by the assage of a train over the track to cause t 1e traverse of the pump rod in one direction, and pneumatic meansconnected to the supply tank and bars, arranged to automatically move the bars in the opposite direction, as and-for the purpose set forth. a i

2. The combination with pneumatic switch or signal mechanism, of an air supply tank therefor, an air pump arranged to feed air into the tank, bars operatively connected to the plunger ol the pump and designed to be moved in one direction by the passage of a train over the track so as to actuate the pump, an air cylinder, a piston mounted e passage of trains 1 therein operatively connected to one'of 'said 'bars, a connection between said'cylinder and the tank, and means for automatically openin said connection between the tank and cy inder upon the depletion of the com pressed air within the tank.

3. The combination with pneumatic switch and signal actuating mechanism, of an air supply tank therefor, an air pump arranged to feedair into the tive move in one' direction by tank, bars operathe passage pfv a I train 'overfthe track, a cylinder, a piston j is op'eratively piston of the tankcylinder moves inwardly mounted withinthe cylinder and connected to one ofj'sa'id bars to raise the same, a pi e connection between said cylinder and t e tank, a valvedesigned to open and close the said pipe cdhnection, a cylinder connected to the tank and communicating with the ,interior thereof, a piston mountedinsaid last namedkcylinder, a lever'to which said piston connected, and a connection between saidlever and the valve of the said pipe connection, the parts bein arranged so that the lever will open the'va ve when the and will close said valve whensaid piston is forced upwardly,

' 4, The switch and I signal actuating mechanism, an airsupply tank therefor, an air pump arran ed to feed air into the tank, bars operative y connected to the pump to actuate the same and designed to be moved in one direction by the passage ofa car over the track, a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and operatively connected to one of said bar sto move the same u nection between said cy inder' and the tank,

.a turning valve mounted in said pipe con nection and adapted to open, and close the latter, a handle secured to said valve, a rod connected to said han'dle at one end, a

, air thereto to actuatethe switch or signal,

said pipe being connected to the same passage of the valve as the air supply pipe so as to receive airfrom said supply pipe through said passage, a release branch pipe connected to the pipe leading to the switch. or signal mechanism and also connected to the other passage of said valve. and a plug mountedin y connected to-the pump and arranged to combination with pneumatic wardly, a pipe 0011-,

mounted on said stand and provided with signal mechanism, a pipe leading thereto, means for actuating thes'ignal upon theadmission of com ressed air to said pipe, a valve the body 0 which is formed wi two passages to one of which said pipe is connected, an air supply-pipe'connected to the same passage,

a source ofsupplyof compressed air for said supply pipe, a release branch connected to the first named pipe and also connected to the other passage of the valve body, a plug mounted in said valve body and formed with ports arranged to open one of said passages and close the other, and vice versa, and an o erative connection between said'plug, and

t 1e switch actuating rod.

7. In pneumatic switch and signal mechanism a switch stand, a switch rodmounted therein'and formed-with a crank, a-switch bar connected to said crank, another crank'connected to said first named crank, a shaft 47 connected to said last named crank, and arranged to be turned thereby, a source of supply of compressed air, 'a supply pipe leading therefrom, a valve, the body of which is formed with two passages to one of which the said supply pipe is connected, a pipe connectedto the same passage and leading to the signal mechanism, signal mechanism arranged to be actuated by the admission of compressed air into the last named pipe, a release branch connectedto the otherpaissage of the valve body'and arranged to'permit the exhaust of'air from the pipe leadmg' to the signal mechanism, and a plug mounted in the valve body and provided with ports so arranged'as to close one of said passages when the other is open, said plug being connected to said shaft.

8. A mechanism of the character described the combination of movable switch oints a switch bar arranged to move latera yas the points swing, a clamp connected to said switch bar, a switch locking rod mounted to rock on said clamp and provided with shoulders arranged to engage alternately the stationary rails of "the switch, a pneumatically actuated switch bar, the switch locking rod being formed with an ear to which one end of said pneumatically actuated switch bar is connected, a piston rod connected, to the other end of said last piston-secured on said which said piston s mounted to reciprocate,

pneumatic means for controlling the adnamed switch bar, a rod, a cylinder within and mission of air into the cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, whereby to move the piston in one direction or the opposite.

provided on opposite ends with shoulders (1o- 9. The combination with movable switch epertured ear, and means for moving said 10 pointsan'd stationary rails of theswitoh, of a last named switch bar. switch bal movable with said switch points, a 111 testimony whereof I eflix my signature clump secured to said switch bar, a bracket in prosenceof two witnesses.

mounted 011 said clamp, a, switch looking rod JQUN. S PAYNE. [L SJ sfiernetely and having .a locking connection FRANK E. ROWLAND,

signed L01 engage the stationary switch rails i Witnesses:

with. the said bracket and formed with an l CHAS. F. TURNER. 

